Will the Rhode Island Interscholastic League be able to expand its list of fall sports offerings beyond a lineup that currently is limited to boys and girls cross country, girls tennis and cheerleading?

At the earliest, the fate of football, boys and girls soccer, field hockey and volleyball (girls and Unified) won’t be known until after Monday. The all-important domino that needs to fall stems from what Gov. Gina Raimondo’s return-to-school decree will entail. Once that happens, the RIIL will react accordingly shortly thereafter.

For the “please make a decision” crowd that appears to be growing antsy with each passing day, the RIIL has already placed its cards on the table. Earlier this month, a presentation entitled “The Safe Return of Education-Based Athletics” was released and stipulated what fall sports could take place under the state’s Phase 3 ordinance and which fall sports are in the “maybe” category.

If fall sports that have already been labeled as “close contact” sports under the state’s Phase 3 guidelines are deemed too risky to hold, the RIIL plans to shift them to Season 3 of the league’s four-season proposed model for the 2020-21 academic term.

On June 24, Raimondo stated that guidance and rules for school-based athletics would be provided by summer’s end. The RIIL office met with members of the governor’s team a few weeks ago and is expected to circle back sometime this week in hopes of obtaining a better understanding of what is coming down the pike.

“We’ve been consistent all along in saying that we’re not going to get ahead of the governor or the schools and their education plans,” RIIL Executive Director Mike Lunney said after Monday’s meeting of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics.

The first day of school was initially scheduled for Aug. 31 but has since been pushed to Sept. 14, a date which the RIIL targeted as the first official day that fall sports teams could begin practicing. As far as the RIIL is concerned, Sept. 14 is still circled in red.

Right now, no school districts or private schools have come forward to the RIIL to say they plan to opt out regardless of what the fall 2020 season may or may not look like. All the fall sports schedules have been modified as far as what the league will send to schools, which will then have to iron out pertinent matters such as facility availability and dates/times.

In terms of regional states the league has kept in close contact with, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has come out and endorsed all fall high school sports. In Vermont, Gov. Phill Scott canceled traditional football in favor of a 7-on-7 touch football season and decreed that volleyball matches must be held outdoors. Massachusetts will allow for low- to moderate-risk fall sports to go off as scheduled while football has been pushed off until 2021.

Maine is trying to move forward but is running into roadblocks with the Department of Education and Gov. Janet Mills. Connecticut is at odds with state leaders while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has yet to offer guidance for school-based sports. New Jersey is planning for a shorter-than-usual fall season that includes football, cross country, field hockey, girls tennis and soccer.